


animus reus (guilty mind)

by twilymeeks



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: AVOCATO PAYS FOR HIS WAR CRIMES IN 4K 60FPS 1440P (NOT CLICKBAIT), Angst, Angst and Humor, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Morally Ambiguous Character, Psychological Drama, Space Opera, Team Squad (Final Space), War Crimes, if the theory is right in some capacity I will be going INSANE!!!!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:29:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29642358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilymeeks/pseuds/twilymeeks
Summary: Avocato is forced to face the consequences of his past actions after being resurrected by the Team Squad. Will Avocato be willing to face himself, or will everything crash and burn at the stakes?
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> https://twitter.com/twilyopal/status/1362460886405890053?s=20
> 
> This fic was created based upon a thread I made theorizing Avocato's multi-season arc with a few friends of mine! A lot of points made in this thread will be present here so yeah!
> 
> This is just a small glimpse of what's to come. I hope you're awaiting Chapter One soon!

“Son?”

Avocato’s mind blanked at the current situation. The shell of a pointed gun seemed to taunt him, shaking in the hands of Little Cato, whose face was struck with nothing but fear. Tears welled up in the small Ventrexian’s eyes, unrecognizable.

“ _D-Don’t come any closer!_ ”

A set of shoulders pulled Avocato back, inaudible words ringing in his ear as he struggled. He just wanted to help his boy...so why this? Why was he so afraid he was willing to point a gun at his own father? Finally breaking from the grasp of others, he finally went over in another attempt to comfort the child, until finally, the child broke. 

A shattering noise rang throughout the quarters, scarring the ears of those around them, Ash ducking to cover her ears. Avocato’s mind was assaulted with the familiar sound.

**Gunfire.**

Looking back, his conclusion only became clearer as the sight of shattered glass was scattered across the floor, a bullet hole lodged in one of the kitchen quarter’s many cabinets. Gary’s eyes were wide open at the revelation that if Little Cato had aimed more accurately, someone would definitely be rushed to the med bay in the blink of an eye. Little Cato now had tears streaming from, processing what he’d just done. Gary knew what was coming next, although he really wished it wasn’t. Silent tears started to become pained sobs, with small utterances of words he couldn’t bear to hear him say.

Avocato went to approach Little Cato, but Gary immediately stopped him. This was an expression that Avocato hadn’t seen from his friend before. A face filled with scorn, it almost felt as if it was directed at him.

“You guys take care of Little Cato, okay?” Gary asked, with Ash and Fox nodding in response. 

A hand led Avocato out to the depths of the bay, lights dimmed, with Gary turning to face him. 

He wondered what he did to be given that expression, or even the bloodied nose he was given only seconds later.

  
He did nothing, absolutely nothing to deserve any of this... **right?**


	2. tabula rasa (blank page)

**The sound of cracked cartilage rang through the bay’s edge.**

Falling to the ground, the air from Avocato’s body was whipped out, the feeling of blood spreading throughout his nostrils. Taking a wobbly step up, he wiped his cheek as a droplet of blood stained the cool exterior of the floor. HIs emotions seemed to be intensifying, the taste of metal clawing at his throat. He didn’t think Gary had that in him. Seeing his friend’s dark expression left Avocato lost, each page seemingly blank. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to read Gary’s motives.

**All he could see were daggers for eyes.**

  
  


-

  
  
  


Everything is a farce.

That’s what his mind seemed to tell him, but there was a part of him that was aware of the situation. Of course, this wasn’t the first time Avocato had felt like this. After dying and being brought back to life by some unknown miracle, it’d be a bit daunting, wouldn’t it? In the beginning, maybe this sort of disconnect was normal. But now, he wasn’t so sure. He was aware of how long he’d known Gary, that he had a son he held dearly to him along with an array of other characters. Perhaps his mind was simply playing pranks on him, but the bullet wound on his stomach said otherwise. Looking at it was always a permanent reminder of a reality he couldn’t seem to accept, and now that he was looking at himself straight into the mirror, he looked like death.

Even with his fur covering his skin, he felt pale as a ghost. The cool air of his living quarters brushed the ends of his fur, almost taunting him for how pathetic his current situation was. The clear patch of skin where the wound was almost felt like a permanent stamp on his being, a mark on a piece of livestock. Even with his stoic demeanor in the mirror, all he felt as the moment was fear. Everything seemed almost dreamlike when he thought about it. After all, he was seemingly resurrected by pure luck, although he isn’t exactly sure how.

A knock on the door brought him back to his senses. Looking at the time, he was, admittedly, later than he usually was to brief with the other members of the team. Quickly preparing himself, he opened the door to find a predictable sight: HUE. He still wasn't entirely sure what had happened to HUE in the time he’d been gone, but it seemed HUE had entirely shifted from putting all of his attention towards Gary to channeling that energy to himself. It was strange, being asked all sorts of questions that were way too simple yet daunting to answer. But in time, he’d started getting used to it. It’s not like it’s been months since they entered the stretches of Final Space, and let’s be real, the others had it far worse than him.

“Avocato, this is the third time this week you’ve been late to the briefings. Is something troubling you?” HUE asked nonchalantly. 

“I’ve told you on several occasions, HUE. Nothing’s wrong.” Avocato replied.

“Then perhaps you could explain how your behavior grows far more hostile the more I _ask_ about you?” HUE retorted.

Silence spread quickly across the room. It was clear HUE wouldn’t be getting a response back.

“I have been observing your behaviors out of concern for your own safety. Your baggage is not entirely my business, but you cannot keep running away from it.” HUE said.

“If you are not truthful to myself and the others, you’ll be but in a more vulnerable position. You _are_ aware of this, correct?”

Avocato let out a sigh, and spoke. 

“I’ll meet up with the others in five.” Avocato responded. 

“There’s....nothing _major_ to worry about, okay? Things are under control now that my memories have returned. I think I’ll be just fine.”

For a split second, HUE stared at what seemed to be Avocato’s eyes, dead silent. With a greeting of departure, HUE had left the room just as Avocato had. Despite Avocato’s words, HUE knew that Avocato was far from what he displayed in his quarters. Alongside the many positives that had come with the male ventrexian’s return, it was clear to HUE that Avocato was attempting to conceal its negatives, whether he was truly aware of it or not. As if there weren’t any other traumatized members of the Team Squad, Avocato seemed to be the new member of this club. He’d seen him in the dining halls, sitting late at night with a frigid glass of water. When he tried to approach him, the daggers wielded in his eyes were enough for HUE to temporarily retreat. SInce then, HUE has made a conscious effort to check on the ventrexian despite the many layers wrapped around his heart. He wasn’t a stoic type, but he wasn’t exactly expressive like Gary. Avocato was a tough nut to crack open, but that didn’t stop HUE from trying to break through. 

HUE always seemed to wonder when the facade would break. Perhaps it was through his time with Lord Commander, but Avocato seemed very skilled at being “two-faced,” as Gary liked to call Barbara from his high school graduating class. He was far too excellent at keeping his emotions masked when necessary, and even to an AI like HUE, it almost felt automatic. He wondered how a living being could act this way. Why was it necessary for an individual to msk their emotions? He was used to Gary, a former prisoner who couldn’t keep a single thought in his mind, and in a way, HUE wished he could dive right into it. But before that, he would definitely have to wait for a crack in the barrier.

**He predicted he wouldn’t have to wait long.**


End file.
